Storage rack system



April 14, 1970 M. A. TRAvls 3,506,138

STORAGE RACK SYSTEM Filed April 3, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Arran/fr1NVENTOR 84145? 70A/ 7?/4 W5 Apri'l14, 1970 M. Amm/ls 3,506,138

STORAGE RACK SYSTEM Filed April 5. 1968 z shee'cs-SheelI 2 Q6/f Z' @n Z952 I1. 55 ze 55 will Z5 zo 5 INVENTOR United States Patent O 3,506,138STORAGE RACK SYSTEM Merton A. Travis, Newport Beach, Calif., assignor toRay Steel Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Energy ResourcesCorporation, Fort Worth, Tex., a

corporation of Nevada Filed Apr. 3, 1968, Ser. No. 718,508 Int. Cl. A47f5/10 U.S. Cl. 211-148 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE ferent levelsthereof to provide accessibility to stored items.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In large industrial plants in which amultiplicity of/ items are assembled and the speed and facility ofassembly are in a large measure dependent on the flow of the differentitems to the points of assembly of, for instance, an automated assemblyline, compact and easytoreach storage of such items promotes economy ofhandling. Also, the ability to economically increase storage space andrearrange the spaces of storage, as requirements demand, is anadditional factor in the handling and transport of stored items.Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide astorage rack system of the. character referred to that provides forcompact and easy-to-reach storage of items, to provide for economicalrearrangement of the storage spaces, and, generally, to promote economyand flexibility of storing, reaching and moving items used in theconstruction of machines, vehicles and other nished products.

This invention also has for its objects to provide such means that arepositive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a workingposition and easily disconnected therefrom, economical of manufacture,relatively simple, and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novelcombinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear inthe course of the following description, which is 'based on theaccompanying drawings. However, said drawings merely show, and thefollowing description merely describes, one embodiment of the presentinvention, which is given by way of illustration or example only.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The system according to the present inventioncomprises multiple-story configurations that erect multi-levelstockrooms with ready access to each level and the storage areas withineach level, without the necessity of any conventional structure framing.Various installations, either singlelevel or multi-level, may berearranged to different physical dimensions and plan, includingconversion from singleto multi-level or vice versa, by disconnecting andrearranging the components. The interior arrangement of shelves andattachments within each storage rack frame is immediately adjustable,rearrangeable and removable. The attachment of such shelves andattachments is accomplished by a unique arrangement of a pin and notch(as illustrated in applicants Patent No. 3,120,200,

ICC

dated Feb. 4, 1964), allowing disengagement of one side support of anyrack frame without removal of the opposite side support thereof,allowing such shelf or attachment to be elevated or lowered intovertical notches alternately from side to side (walking) withoutremoving the material stored on the shelf or attachment. The pin andnotch arrangement also permits the adjustment of shelves and attachmentsby mechanical means (fork-lift truck)` by a simple upward and rearwardmovement for removal, and a simple forward and downward movement forreplacement. Individual storage rack frames may be provided with meansfor movement by lift truck, overhead hoist and tow tractor-trailer,thereby converting the storage rack frame to a transportablematerial-delivery unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION 'OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an exploded perspectiveview showing the components and supplemental elements of two storagerack frames in stacked or tiered relation, according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary and broken end view of the upperportion of two such rack frames and the manner of their connection toform a walkway therebetween.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary anr broken plan view of the arrangement of FIG.2 and also showing a walkway extending transversely from the walkwayshown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary end view of a closure for an aisle formedbetween aligned stacks or tiers of storage racks.

FIG. 5 is a similarly enlarged sectional detail view of an item-holdingpeg for shelf mounting.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional detail view of an itemholding peg forvertical grid mounting.

FIG. 7 is a similarly enlarged sectional detail view of an item-holdingdrawer for shelf mounting.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The present storage rack systemcomprises, generally, a plurality of similar` but not necessarilyidentical rack frame components 10I adapted to be arranged singly inboth longitudinal and transverse spaced relation on the same level, aswell as in similarly spaced stacks or tiers, means 11 to facilitatemovement of said frame components -along a surface, whether in single orstacked relation, and a walkway 12 between and connecting the spacedframe components or stacks thereof, as the case may be.

Each rack frame component 10 is shown as comprising a rectangular frame15, one at each end, a base shelf 16 connecting the lower portions ofthe frames 15, and a top shelf 17 connecting the upper portions of asingle component 10 as well as the upper portion of an upper componentof a stack of components.

Each frame 15 is shown as comprising two vertical hollow posts 20 that,at their lower ends are connected by a crosspiece 21 to which the endsof the base shelf 16 are secured, as by bolts, and at their upper endsare connected by a crosspiece 22 to which the ends of the top shelf 17(if one is used) are similarly secured.

Said posts, wherever the same may be required, are provided with bayonetslots 23, as best shown in FIG. 4, according to the teachings of thementioned Patent No. 3,120,200, for separable connection by headed studs24. The crosspieces 21 and 22 may be provided with prepared bolt holes25 for connection of hereinafter-described panels, grids and the like.The posts 20 may also be provided with bolt holes 26 for similarreasons. As best shown at the upper left of FIG. 2, the upper end ofeach post 20 is provided with a male member 27 and the lower end with afemale member or socket 28, thereby enabling two aligned posts 20 of twoframes 15 to be non-displaceably connected merely by seating the socket28 onto the member 27. Said posts are provided, as shown, with outwardlydirected stirrups 29.

As shown in the upper portion of FIG. 1, the end frames 15, between theerosspieces 21 and 22, may be provided with vertical central posts orcolnmns 30.

It will be understood that the slots 23 may be provided in such mannerthat either side of a component is the front thereof, or such slots 23may be placed so either side may be the front. This manner of slotlocation is carried out also when the post 3G is used, thereby dividingthe component 10 so that half-depth shelves and attachments may bemounted from either side of the component, thereby providing adouble-sided assembly.

The base shelf 16 is shown as a flat-decked assembly7 comprising a plate31 with under-side reinforcing members 32 and provided with integralenclosures 33 for lifttrnck forks and corner gusset assemblies 34 whichattach to end frame posts 20 by means of bolts inserted in the gussetassembiies.

The top shelf 17 is shown as a dat-decked assembly with under-sidereinforcing and corner gusset assemblies which attach to end frame posts20', as for the base shelf.

The connections between the posts 20 and the shelves 16 and 17 have notbeen detailed since the same may be accomplished in many different andnon-patentable ways.

The above-described frame components 10, as can be seen, comprise basicstorage modular rack components that are capable of being moved,unitarily, by fork-lift trucks. As in FIG. l, means 11, shown asattachments to the lower portions of both end frames 15, may be providedfor traction so thel same may be moved over a surface from place -toplace. Said means 11 is shown as a tow bar 35 mounted on wheels 36 andadapted to be bolted to the lower ends of the posts 26 to be made partof the frame at each end of the component 10. A bracket 37 on the bar 35may be pulled by any suitable truck or power vehicle.

The assembly of end frames 15 with a top and bottom shelf makes up thebasic storage module rack. Such units can be moved individually byfork-lift truck or on wheels, if being used as material-transport units.The basic storage module rack is the starter unit 1t.' if being used asa storage unit. A single unit 10 is placed in position and successivetop and bottom shelves and end frames are added to form a longitudinalrow. When a second basic starter unit is tiered atop the first by meansof the elements 27 and 28, it becomes the first unit of the secondlevel, with successive top and bottom shelves and end frames being addedas before, each end frame tiering atop the one below, forming asecond-level longitudinal row. In this manner, storerooms may be erectedwith several longitudinal rows, one or more levels high, interconnectedwith walkways 12. The assembled basic unit is a unique rigid structuralframe having the required compressive and lateral strength to supportunits tiered above along with side-mounted walkways, catwalks andstairs. This rigid frame does not depend upon the interior shelves orattachments between the top and bottom shelves to contribute structuralstability, as is the case with commercial racks and shelving presentlyavailable, nor is supplemental structural framing required formulti-level instailations. The interior of each unit, between the topand bottom shelves, is open for the mounting of a multiplicity ofadjustable shelves and attachments for storing material in a protectiveand segregated manner.

It will be clear that each component 10 comprises a storage rack ofparallelepipedon form in that the same has parallel top and bottom,parallel front and rear, and paraiiel ends.

Each of the frame components 10 may be provided 4 with a variety ofsupplemental or auxiliary elements, some alike and some different, buteach of the purpose of housing and/or dening storage space for variousitems, as hereinbefore explained.

One such element is shown as a peg base shelf 38 which replaces the baseshelf 16 and is structurally similar to the latter. Said shelf 38 has atop plate 31 that, in this case, has a multiplicity of holes 39 toreceive verticai pegs 40 to provide segregated storage for thin items.

Another such element is shown as a peg shelf 41 with similar holes 39',but mounted on the posts 20 of the end frames 15 to be verticallyadjustable according to which slots 23 of said posts are engaged by thestuds 24 provided on the ends of said shelf.

Other adjustable flat-decked shelves 42, 42a and 43, with integralunder-side reinforcing and a single mounting pin 24 at each corner toengage the bayonet slots 23 in the end frame posts 20, in the samemanner as described in the mentioned patent, may be provided. These pinsare ot^ a dimension to permit endwise movement play in the slot whenmounted, thereby allowing one end of the shelf to be disengaged andmoved upward or downward and re-engaged into the next slot above orbelow without disengaging the other end of the shelf. By suchalternating disengagement and re-engagement, a shelf, loaded or empty,can be adjusted to a different level with a minimum of effort. A shelfcan also be disengaged entirely by lifting at the central portion andmoving it outward then upward or downward to another level, andre-engaged by an inward and downward movement This adjustabilityprovides for continual and flexible use of the available space forstorage.

If desired, one side of each rack frame 10 may be enclosed by a cover46. @ne or both ends of each frame may be enclosed by either a cover 47for the half-width frame, or a cover 48 for a full-width frame. Suchcovers, without invention, may be replaced by large-mesh grids,depending on whether ventilated or tightly closed conditions aredesired. The mentioned holes 25 may be used for bolts to mount suchcovers.

Also, a sliding shelf 44, similar to shelf 43 but without the cornermounting pins 24, may be slidingly mounted into guides 45 on either sidein a manner similar to a drawer in supporting slide-guides. The guidesare channel-shaped and may contain anti-friction rollers and closettingmounting pins which engage the end frame post slots to mount the guideshorizontally between the front and rear end frame posts. Such guides maybe mounted in pairs to support the sliding shelf 44, allowing it to bemoved outward and inward for placing or removing material.

A center grid 49, comprising a coarse Wire mesh enclosed in a frame,having single mounting pins 24 on the corners similar to the adjustableshelf 43, may be mounted in the same way as the adjustable shelf 43, butis vertically rather than horizontally disposed, as shown. The mountedgrid provides a vertical mesh surface which, as shown in FIG. 6, willsupport hangers 50 from which pegs 51 extend horizontally and from whichitems having holes or contours can be stored in a hanging position. Thegrid peg 51 is a steel rod assembled to the flat hanger bracket 50, madeto engage and hang from a horizontai grid wire of the center grid whilebeing restricted from sidewise movement by the vertical wires, therebyproviding a rigid support for items stored by hanging as describedabove.

The walkway 12 is shown as comprising rectangular mezzanine gratings 52,53 and 54. These mezzanine grating components are framed walkway gratingunits designed to attach to rack end frames 15 to provide longitudinaland transverse walkways or aisles between racks or rows of racks inmulti-level installations, as the floors of a multi-story building.Grating 52 provides a longitudinal walkway between racks 10 and has fourdownwardly directed corner mounting lugs 55 which engage the liftingstirrup 29 at the top of the end frame posts 20 leveling with theelevation of the top shelf of the rack unit. Grating S3 mounts betweenrack units 10 in the end frame depth direction, bolting to the threadedholes 25 in the top of the end frame posts 20, providing transversewalkways or aisles transverse to the aisles formed by the grating 52.Grating 54 is a filler section attaching to grating 52 where transverseand longitudinal walkways or aisles intersect. Any of the gratings 52,53 or 54 may also be mounted externally of the stacks of units, withsupporting posts, to provide an external catwalk at the end perimetersof a multi-level installation.

The walkway grids Imay be placed at any desired level, but preferably atlevels corresponding to the levels of jointure at which two stackedframe components are located. Thus, the walkways serve as floors fromwhich easy access to the storage areas of the components 10 may be had.

Stairway or ladder access to the walkways or catwalks may be provided,without invention, by securing the upper ends of such access means tothe outer edges of either grating 52, 53, or both. The end of any aislemay be closed off for safety purposes. To this end, a closure grid 56,shown in FIG. 4, may by means of lugs 57 thereon be bolted to the upperand lower ends of adjacent posts 20.

Another item-supporting and -storing element may take the form of anadjustable grid shelf 58, the wire ymesh 59 providing means adapted forengagement by hooks to which members to be stored are hung. The shelf 58may be mounted in a rack frame component 10` in any of the mannersdescribed for mounting the shelves 42, 42a, 41, 43 or 44.

As shown in FIG. l, a transverse shelf divider 60 may be provided on anyof the above-mentioned shelves so items of different sizes and/orcharacteristics ymay be stored on spaces of a shelf divided by such adivider. While but one divider is shown as mounted on shelf 42a, two ormore may be provided and mounted on slides 61 so the storage spaces maybe adjusted for size.

Any of the above shelves, as shown in FIGS. l and 7, may be providedwith a longitudinally arranged drawer stop 62 to limit the retractedposition of an item-storing drawer 63 slidingly supported on such ashelf. FIG. 7 shows such a `drawer partly pulled open. A stop lug 64 onthe -drawer may engage a front lip on a shelf thereabove to limit drawerprojection.

While the foregoing has illustrated and described what is nowcontemplated to be the best mode of carrying out the invention, theconstruction is, of course, subject to modification without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, it is not desiredto restrict the invention to the particular form of constructionillustrated and described, but to cover all modifications that may fallwithin the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to besecured by lI /etters Patent is:

1. A storage rack frame component comprising:

(a) two rectangular and Vertical end lframes, each comprising a pair ofside posts, and post-connecting transverse crosspieces located,respectively, at the fupper and lower ends of said posts,

(b) a base shelf extending between and connecting the lower portions ofsaid end frames, the lowermost surface of said shelf being spaced abovethe lower ends of said side posts,

(c) a top shelf extending between and connecting the upper portions ofsaid end frames, the top surface of said top shelf being substantiallylevel with the upper ends of the side posts,

(d) an upwardly directed tapered extension fxedly secured to the upperend of each post, and

(e) a socket in the lower end of each post,

(f) the extensions being adapted to be fitted into the sockets of asimilar frame component in registered disposition thereabove, and

(g) the sockets being adapted to receive the projections of a similarframe component in registered disposition therebelow.

2. A storage fra-me component according to claim 1, provided withitem-Storing shelves between the base and top shelf and means toseparably connect the ends of said storing shelves to the end frames.

3. A storage frame component according to claim 2 in which each endframe is provided with a wheel-provided tow member at the lower endthereof, said member comprising a tow bar longitudinally coextensiveWith the width of each said end frame and aixed thereto, and supportwheels for said bar,

4. A storage frame component according to claim 2 in which separablecover members are provided for at least one side of the frame componentto enclose said side.

5. A storage rack system comprising:

(a) a plurality of rack frame components, each Of parallelepipedon form,

(b) a plurality of item-storing elements mounted within the interiorspace formed by the six sides of each said component,

(c) means provided at the four upper and the four lower corners of eachsaid component adapted for separable stacked connection between twocomponents disposed, one upon the other in vertical register with eachother,

(d) a walkway between spaced stacks of components and connected theretoto provide supports for persons to give access to the items stored inthe comlponents,

(e) each walkway comprising horizontally disposed members to supportpersons moving between the rack frame components, and

(f) means to connect said members along at least one edge thereof to anadjacent side of a rack frame component.

6. A storage system according to claim S in which the stacks of rackframe components are arranged in plural rows of stacks with the stacksof the several rows in transverse alignment, the walkways comprisinggrids arranged to form continuous aisles between the several stacks ofrack frame components.

7. A storage system according to claim 6 in which the end of at leastone aisle is provided with a closure grid.

8. A storage rack system according to claim 5 in which:

(a) the edges of the grids that engage the sides of the rack framecomponents are provided with downwardly directed mounting lugs, and

(b) said sides of the rack frame components are stirrups into which saidlugs are tted to thereby support the grids.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 869,491 10/ 1907 Hurteau 10S-1072,226,763 12/1940 Geib 211-148 X 2,604,213 7/1952 Bales 211-134 X2,654,487 10/1953 Degener 211-148 2,828,826 4/1958 Riemenschneider211-134 X 2,897,013 7/1959 Delp 211-148 X 3,007,708 9/1961 Ochs 2ll-148X 3,323,655' 6/1967 Foran 211--134 3,338,423 8/1967 Wellman 211-148 XNILE C. BYERS, JR., Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. XR. 108-5 6

